The Multiplier Effect of Broadband and the Income of American Households

Not only can you save money using broadband, you can also make money using broadband. This year IIA examined how internet connectivity enables you to participate in the sharing economy—also known as the gig economy—to generate income.

Former Congressman Rick Boucher discusses the need for bipartisan legislation which will give statutory permanence to open internet guarantees while at the same time classifying broadband as an information service to be lightly overseen by the FCC.

In an economy where competition is rising and entrepreneurship is increasingly essential, high-speed internet is a critical tool that will help people supplement their income and improve their quality of life.

To respond to consumers’ clear choices in favor of newer systems, the country needs greater investment in mobile and broadband rather than antiquated copper-based services that fewer and fewer people use.

As more and more economic activity happens online, affecting every industry, broadband itself has now become a critical national infrastructure that undergirds growth throughout the economy and ensures America preserves its competitive edge against other countries that seek to dominate increasingly global markets.

The Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) finds that the average American household can now save more than $12,000 per year on household spending through use of high-speed internet services, according to its latest Cost Campaign analysis. IIA’s new supplemental whitepaper, “The Multiplier Effect of Broadband and the Income of American Households,” also examines how broadband helps generate income for Americans, particularly via the sharing economy.

Encouraging investment in 5G technology that will extend broadband to all Americans, from urban centers to rural areas, should be a top priority for policymakers. It’s also important that we show people how the internet is useful in their everyday lives. Luckily, the value of saving money is a major benefit with which everyone can identify.